Man charged in fatal Merrillville shooting in motel parking lot

A man was fatally shot in a Merrillville motel parking lot Thursday afternoon during an argument over leaving a card skimmer where housekeeping could see, according to court records..

Victor Young, 40, of Gary, was charged Friday with murder and resisting law enforcement in connection with the death of Miles Beach, 37, of Gary, Lake County court records show.

Officers were called at 1:30 p.m. Thursday to Rodeway Inn in the 6200 block of Opportunity Lane for a report of a "man down from a gunshot wound," Cmdr. Jeff Rice, Merrillville police spokesman, said.

Police found Beach, who was shot in the back, in the parking lot, according to a probable cause affidavit. Beach was taken to Methodist Hospitals Southlake in Merrillville, where he died, officials said. The Lake County coroner's office ruled his death a homicide, according to a news release.

Before the shooting, Young, who had stayed at the motel for three months, went to a vape store on U.S. 30 in a Black Nissan Maxima, the affidavit states. When he returned, he began arguing with Beach and another person in the parking lot, court records show.

A witness said "she heard Vic yelling at one of the subjects because he left illegal items out in plain view in his hotel room which resulted in housekeeping seeing the items," according to the affidavit. A housekeeper told a manager that "there was a credit card skimming machine in Beach's room," the affidavit states.

"Young then pulled out a gun, points it at Beach and begin firing shots," the affidavit states. One witness said Young "held the gun sideways" as he fired, according to court records.

Young went in the motel toward the guest rooms and told a person inside "to get off the phone or he would kill him too," according to the affidavit.

About a minute and a half later, he "is seen walking back through the lobby" and leaving in a black Nissan "at a high rate of speed," according to court records.

An officer spotted Young shortly before 4:30 p.m. Thursday driving in a Ford Mustang on Broadway, the affidavit states. Young "failed to stop and was fleeing," court records show.

Young pulled in the drive-through at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant before fleeing again, "weaving in and out of traffic attempting to evade officers," according to the affidavit.

He ultimately stopped in the 6100 block of Broadway, "opened his door and placed his hands outside of the vehicle" to be arrested by police, court records state.

Before being arrested by police, Young reportedly drove to Gary and asked a woman "if she had room in her garage to park his vehicle," according to court records.

Young's girlfriend told police that Young "always has an issue with several people," the affidavit states.

"She stated he has a short temper and is arguing with people so often that she does not even pay attention to it anymore," the affidavit states.

Young declined to speak with investigators, according to the affidavit.

Merrillville police said Frday that the shooting "was an isolated incident."

At the end of last year, Beach was arrested as a result of a Lake County Auto Theft Unit investigation of stolen cars, trucks and trailers and was scheduled to appear in court again March 26 on the charges.